Is Your Roku Soundbar Crackling? (Don’t PANIC, Easy Fix)
If your Roku soundbar crackling is getting out of hand, this can be solved in under 5 minutes!
The continuous crackling of your Roku soundbar or streambar can often be a result of improper sound mode selection, bad connection, or power-related issues.
There are, however, many other possibilities involved, so we have prepared a step-by-step chronological troubleshooting.
These are the best ways to address audio issues with your Roku product:
We have much more in store for you, so proceed with the complete guide!
6 Proven Solutions Against the Roku Soundbar Crackling!
Tip: Have you tried powering off the soundbar/streambar for 10–15 seconds?
1. Change the Roku Device’s Sound Mode
Both Roku soundbars and streambars have an identical outline of sound modes, regardless of the connection with the TV.
So, adjusting the sound mode regulates the equalizer frequencies, giving your Roku streaming device the desired quality of audio output that can fix the crackling.
You can access and configure the sound modes through the Roku app:
- Open the Roku mobile app on your iPhone or Android.
- Tap the “Devices” button in the lower center of the page.
- Navigate to “Settings” and then go to “Sound Settings.”
Once you’re in the “Sound Settings” menu, you will be able to pick from the following options:
Roku Soundbar/Streambar Sound Modes Overview | |
“Standard” | Selecting this option sets the soundbar to a general audio mode, intended for any use. |
“Dialogue” | Conversations are much clearer when set on this mode with background noise reduction. |
“Movie” | This preset is optimized to enhance the audio quality of intense and immersive movie scenes. |
“Music” | Optimized for music, enhances both lower and higher frequencies for crispy sound quality. |
“Night” | The night mode is designed to reduce the device’s initial bass and lower the volume. |
Tip: To check if the crackling is still there, test the soundbar/streambar on each of the available modes at about 70% volume.
2. Test on a Different Channel/Application
The majority of users experiencing the consistent crackling shared that it may be related to the online app or channel you’re currently streaming.
Hence, the next step is to access a different streaming platform through your Roku device’s interface and test the audio and the crackling.
Which Channels/Platforms to Test Roku On?
Roku has an extensive lineup of free channels, streaming platforms, and Live/Aerial TV to select from.
Browsing through the lists of your soundbar will unveil the following possibilities:
- Free Channels: BBC iPlayer, Pluto TV, All 4, My5 and more…
- Streaming Platforms: Netflix, Apple TV, Prime Video, StarzPlay, YouTube, Hulu, Disney Plus and more…
We recommend testing on an established streaming platform, such as YouTube or Netflix to check if the audio disruptions continue.
Additionally, ensure you have not modified the audio settings of the platform you will be testing on.
Tip: Test for crackling on different platforms and different movies/TV shows!
3. Power Cycle your Roku Soundbar
The next step is to perform a power cycle on the Roku soundbar or streambar and all of the additional audio equipment involved.
Most Roku audio setups include a soundbar, subwoofer, and up to 4 wireless speakers, so we recommend unplugging everything from the input ports.
Follow these steps to power cycle each device in your audio setup:
- Press the “Power” button on your regular or Voice Roku remote.
- Disconnect the A/C adapter of the Roku soundbar or subwoofer.
- Unplug each wireless speaker paired with the Roku streambar.
- Wait for a total of 2 minutes, before reconnecting each adapter.
- Turn on the soundbar/streambar first and test the audio output.
Before connecting any of the adapters, check for any signs of damage, indicating a potential fault.
You should be on alert for rips, cuts, or bent segments of each adapter in your setup.
4. Inspect the Roku’s Source Connection
One of the leading causes of the soundbar or Roku streambar crackling is a loose or unhealthy TV connection.
Since Roku soundbars or streambars mainly use an HDMI, or Optical cable to transfer the audio, you must check whether the wire is tightly plugged into the input/output ports.
So, let’s take a close look at what you need to inspect:
4.1 Inspect the HDMI Connection
Perhaps, a faulty HDMI input is disrupting the audio of the Roku product.
- So, ensure that you’re using an HDMI (ARC) port on your TV and not regular HDMI.
Check the HDMI cable connectors for bents, as well as the input port on the TV/soundbar for corrosion, and consider replacement.
Quick Tip: If you have a secondary HDMI cable to test with, plug it in and check for crackling.
4.2 Inspect the Bluetooth Connection
Wireless interference can realistically cause the soundbar to pop and crackle, especially when the source is connected wirelessly via Bluetooth.
What you can try is to shorten the distance between the Bluetooth and the Roku streaming device to check whether this will fix the issue.
Note: If you have a Roku wireless speaker, they must be in a minimum of the 10-feet range!
4.3 Inspect the Optical Connection
If your Roku streaming player is connected to your TV via Optical cable, unplug and reconnect the connectors tightly.
Also, inspect the cable for any visual defects, and if the crackling is still there, switch to an HDMI connection using the HDMI (ARC) port to check whether this will help.
Note: Also, try increasing the volume of your soundbar and TV to see whether this will make any difference in the crackling problem.
5. Adjust Roku Soundbar Audio Mode
If you continue to hear crackling on your Roku soundbar or streambar, the next step is to reach into the settings and try different audio modes.
Adjusting the audio mode will have a tremendous impact on how your Roku streaming device will sound like, which might just solve the crackling.
- To change the audio mode on your Roku device, press the Star button (*) while streaming and go to “Advanced sound settings” → “Sound settings”.
You will be able to select from a few different audio modes:
- Standard – A general audio mode, compatible with everything.
- Movie – Audio mode optimized for movies and home theater.
- Music – No sound alterations, for clean and pure music audio.
- Dialogue – Enhances the dialogs, so they can be loud/audible.
- Night – Decreases the bass for a peaceful audio environment.
We advise trying multiple audio modes to check whether the soundbar crackling will disappear which one of them.
When ready with the mode, press the Back button to go back to streaming.
6. Restore the Roku Product to Defaults
We recommend a factory reset as a last resort for the Roku soundbar popping.
The procedure will erase all of your soundbar’s settings, delete its profile from the app, and revert all your audio modes to default values.
This process is irreversible, so you go through the initialization setup.
6.1 How to Factory Reset Through the Roku App?
The Roku soundbar and streambar can be reset identically:
- Press “Home” on the Roku remote, to wake up your soundbar.
- In your app, navigate to the “Settings” tab and select “System.”
- Go to “Advanced System Settings” and press “Factory Reset.”
- Follow the on-screen instructions to finalize the reset procedure.
6.2 How to Factory Reset Roku via Reset Button?
Both soundbars and streambars come with an in-built “RESET” button on the back that when pressed, restores the device’s settings to default values.
So, hold the button for a minimum of 5 seconds to erase the soundbar/streambar’s settings to default.
Soundbar Still Crackling – What’s Next?
If you’re reading this far into the guide and the factory reset turned out to be ineffective, reaching out to Roku remains your only alternative.
The support team can talk you through an extra step for troubleshooting and if that doesn’t help either, it’s time to deliver your product for a check-up.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.